


hard day

by rvnqn



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Anxiety, Crying, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Hugs, M/M, natsume might be a little ooc i'm still trying to get the hang of writing him, this is incredibly self-indulgent and also maybe trying to make up for the lack of this pairing, this isn't even really romantic i just want tsumugi to get a hug, tsumugi's kinda stressed out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-07
Updated: 2016-10-07
Packaged: 2018-08-20 01:14:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8231128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rvnqn/pseuds/rvnqn
Summary: Sometimes, all you need to feel better is a hug and someone to comfort you.--In which Tsumugi has a bad day and he receives comfort from someone he doesn't expect to get comfort from.





	

**Author's Note:**

> so i wrote this a few days ago on impulse and i wanted to post it here when i finally got my account! i'm still not 100% confident in how i wrote natsume here. i need more practice with him.

It had been a hard day.

Normally, Tsumugi could deal with even the worst situations with a smile and a nervous laugh. But, for whatever reason, today, he was ready to break down and cry. His daily fortune was mostly neutral. He had made sure to carry today’s lucky item with him, too. So why was he upset?

Fortunately, school was out and everyone was going home, which left him with a mostly empty school, save for a couple clubs gathering together and units going to rehearse for an upcoming Dreamfest. The handicraft club had no activities today, either.

Not that it ever had. 

It was mostly just Valkyrie’s hangout nowadays. He never had anything to do there. If anything, he always felt out of place. Like he didn’t belong with them. It always made him worry. He even considered dropping the club at one point.

To add to things in his favor, his unit, Switch, didn't have practice scheduled for today. Despite the negativity that plagued him, today was truly his lucky day.

Tsumugi just wanted to be alone for the rest of the day. He craved space. He was worried he would end up lashing out at someone, otherwise. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he did.

With a shaky sigh, the blue-haired boy hurried to the library. It was quiet there. No one would be there, either. Not after school. He would be safe. Alone. He had spent enough time there to know that.

Hands trembling, the third year fumbled with the door, brows furrowed in worry. What if the door was locked? What if the library was populated? Intrusive thoughts plagued his mind and only served to make him more anxious.

However, much to his relief, the door slid open with some effort. A sigh left him, tension being released from his body. His nerves had settled down a bit. Cautiously, he stepped in, took a brief look around, and once he determined he was alone, he grabbed some random book, hid in the furthest corner of the library, and merely started skimming through it to distract his thoughts.

The quiet was nice. It was well deserved.

Unfortunately, what Tsumugi wasn't counting on was an interruption.

Footsteps. There were footsteps. Who else would be in the library at this time of day? Everyone should be home or doing club activities or be at practice… The third year could feel his anxiety spike. His hands were shaking. His throat was tight, burning even. He felt like crying.

“hM? Tsumugi-senpai, what are you doing here at this time of Day? Shouldn't you be going Home?”

A familiar voice caught his ears, and Tsumugi felt his nerves simultaneously calm and tense up even more. He turned his gaze upwards from his book to look at the red-haired boy standing near him, catching a vaguely curious look in his golden eyes. He had almost forgotten about the secret passages that Natsume had around the school.

“Well, you see… I, um…” The bespectacled boy’s voice was straining, his throat still tightened. When did speaking become such a hassle? He felt claustrophobic. Trapped. Like the world was swallowing him whole. He couldn't help the tears that were starting to form and roll down his cheeks.

“Tsumugi-Senpai?”

The older boy choked out a sob, the book falling out of his hands and onto the floor as he aggressively rubbed at his face, wiping the tears away and leaving red blotches on his cheeks. He couldn't help the tears that kept on falling from his eyes. He didn't even know why he was crying.

“How Troublesome…” Natsume’s voice carried exasperation, but a faint concern managed to accompany it as he knelt down in front of his senior. “You know, if you're stressed out, you really should take care of yourSelf.”

Tsumugi looked at him, face red and eyes full of tears. “N-... Natsume-kun… That's s-so nice of you… Could it be that y-you care about me…?” His voice cracked, wavered, and hiccuped, but he tried his hardest to smile through his tears, letting out a forced, strained laugh.

The second year let out a soft sigh, gently punching at the older boy’s shoulder, not having the heart to be as aggressive as he usually was. “You Fool… Don't get so Cocky. I have to make sure my unit mates are all right, you Know?” The redhead gave him a faint, half-hearted smile, hiding his concern rather poorly. “We all have to be at our best if we are to perform, Senpai.”

Tsumugi let out another sob, rubbing hard at his face. He felt like a complete child, crying in front of someone younger than he was. It wasn’t like he could just stop, either. He felt weak, vulnerable. It felt like he had lost the ability to reply entirely.

“geeZ… You really are difficult Sometimes.” Natsume said, his voice quiet and tired as he carefully wrapped his arms around the third year. The hug was awkward, stiff even, but he could tell Tsumugi desperately needed it.

It was shocking to the blue-haired boy, to say the least. He had not expected a hug like this, especially from Natsume, who he was sure hated him to no end. But… It wasn’t like he was going to complain. He clung to the younger boy tightly, burying his face into Natsume’s shoulder as he sobbed. He was thankful for the attention.

They sat there together in the third year’s little corner of the library, holding each other, Natsume quietly offering words of backhanded reassurance and Tsumugi letting out weeks of pent-up stress that had been slowly wearing him down. While his original plan of sitting alone in the library had been ruined, this was making him feel better, at the very least. Sitting here with his unit’s leader was comforting.

Sometimes, all you need to feel better is a hug and someone to comfort you.


End file.
